Glove device usable with arctic type handwear for handling tools



June 21, 1960 L. 5. MICHAEL 2,941,214

GLOVE DEVICE USABLE WITH ARCTIC TYPE HANDWEAR FOR HANDLING TOOLS FlledJuly 23, 1959 INVENTOR. Louis 5-]Tlichae1 BY w. 4AM a. J Q mz UnitedStates GLOVE DEVICE USABLE WITH ARCTIC TYPE HANDWEAR FOR HANDLING TOOLSThe invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me ofany royalties thereon.

This invention relates to a device for facilitating the manipulations oftools by personnel wearing arctic-type handwear and more particularly toa mitten in which is inserted a grommet that will retain its elasticityunder extreme lowtmperature conditions such as is experienced in thearctic climes.

Arcticmittens are clumsy at best and are not adapted for handling smalltools with dexterity and it is more often necessary to remove the mittenbefore handling a tool, thus exposing the hand to frostbite, not tomention the agony of placing the bare hand on cold steel handles at verylow temperatures.

Many mittens have been heretofore designed to enable the wearer to use asmall tool without the removal of a mitten. Such mittens either employslots or have extra strips of material sewn on the outside of the mittento hold a tool. Neither of these methods were practical. The slotsallowed cold air to enter the mitten or else a part of the hand wasexposed on the outside of the mitten, while extra strips sewn on themitten did not allow the wearer to grasp the tool with the bare hand,and was about as clumsy a means as without their dubious aid.

The present invention is intended to overcome the disadvantagesheretofore experienced with mittens or similar handwear for using smalltools in cold climes and to provide a mitten that will keep the handwarm at all times, and employs the use of a grommet which is attached tothe wall of the mitten at an expedient location and through which asmall tool may be inserted and will stretch snugly around the tool tokeep out cold air and close upon withdrawal of the same.

The grommet per se may be fabricated from a material possessingsufl'icient elasticity at extremely low temperatures such as is found inmany types of silicone rubbers.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an articleof handwear having an elastic grommet attached to the wall thereof tofacilitate the manipulation of small tools without removal of thehandwear.

It is another object of the invention to provide an elastic grommetadapted to stretch snugly about the inserted tool yet to snap back toits original shape upon the removal of the tool therefrom.

It is a further object to provide a means to keep cold air from enteringthe handwear while using a small tool inserted through the wall thereof.

It is a still further object to provide a grommet that will stretch tosnugly fit about a variety of small tools as screw drivers, pliers, etc.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limitedby the specific illustration or description but that such illustrationand description constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 illustrates an arctic mitten with a grommet of the invention anda pair of pliers inserted therethrough to show the manner in which thetool may be used without removal of the mitten from the hand of thewearer,

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken through the grommet and pliers,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the grommet per se,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section taken through the grommet, the toolbeing removed,

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and looking inthe direction of the arrows, and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the forward portion of amodified form of grommet having a flap for further exclusion of coldair.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 indicates generally amitten of the arctic type in which there is an opening 2. An elasticgrommet indicated generally by 3 is applied over opening 2 and may becementedto the mitten fabric or attached by any suitable means such asstitching, etc. Grommet 3 is of a generally frusto conical shape anddefines a flanged rearward portion 4 and a forwardly tapering flutedportion 5. Grommet 3 is hollowand is provided with an open rearward end6 and a closed front planar wall 7 which is provided with radial slots 8which radiate from a centrally located point 9 and terminate in reliefopenings 10, forming triangular tongues 11.

For further protection of the hand of the mitten wearer, a flap 12 maybe incorporated on the front planar wall 7 as is best seen in Fig. 6.Flap 12 is of the same material as the grommet 3 and may be formed bytransversely slicing through a substantial portion of the forward end ofthe grommet 3 to a point leaving an integral uncut portion 13, so thatit will normally lie over openings 10 and slots 8.

The grommet 3 is applied over an opening 2 formed at any expedientlocation in the wall of a mitten or similar handwear 1. The flange 4 maybe cemented, stitched or secured to the fabric of the mitten 1 by anyother suitable means (not shown). The assembly is now ready for use.When it is desired to use a small tool, (a pair of pliers 14 isillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 by way of example) it is inserted throughthe opening 2 in the mitten and through the grommet 3 and then outthrough the front planar wall 7. As the tool is inserted through thegrommet 3, and planar wall 7, the fluted portion 5 will expand and thetongues 11 formed by slots 8 will be pushed outwardly and forms acomparatively snug fit about the contour of the tool, as best seen inFig. l. The hand of the wearer can grip the handle of the tool 14 insidethe mitten 1 as also seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Upon withdrawal ofthe tool 14, the entire grommet 3 will resume its original shape as isshown in Fig. 3. Relief openings 9 and 10 prevent tearing of the grommetmaterial during stretching by the insertion of the tool therethrough.

I-t is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shownand described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, andthat various changes in the shape, size and arrangements of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or scopeof the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Means to facilitate manipulation of small tools, comprising a mittenhaving an opening therein, a hollow elastic .grommet including a flangedrearward portion secured to said mitten and about said opening, and agenerally frusto-conical fluted portion integral with and extendingforwardly from said flanged'portion, and terminating in a planar wall,there being a series of radial slots piercing said planar wall, eachsaid slot radiating from a common point located centrally of said planarwall and terminating in a relief opening and defining a series oftriangular tongues having their apexes lying in said common point.

2. A device for permitting a wearer of: an article of handwear tomanipulate a tool without the removal of said handwear, there being anopeningprovided in said handwear and disposed at an expedient locationwith respect thereto, consisting of a hollow elastic grommet defining agenerally frusto-conical fluted portion having a planar forward wall anda rearward integral flange, said flange adapted to be secured to theouter surface of'said handwear and about said opening, said planarforwardwall being pierced with a series of symmetrically disposeddiametric slots, said slots intersecting one another at a common pointdisposed centrally on said planar forward wall and terminating at eachof their ends in a relief opening, said opening at each end of saidslots being disposed at a point substantially short of the periphery ofsaid planar forward wall.

3. A device for facilitating the manipulation of a small tool by thewearer of a mitten without the removal of said mitten, there being anopening in said mitten disposed substantially adjacent the thumb portionthereof, said device consisting of a hollow elastic grommet defining agenerally frusto-conica-l member having a longitudinally fluted portionterminating at its base in a flange and at its apex in a planar wall,said flange. being secured to said mitten about said opening, saidplanar wall being pierced by a series of symmetrically arranged anddiametrically disposed slots, each of said slots intersecting oneanother at a common point centrally located in said wall, the materialbetween said slots forming equiangular tongues having their apexes lyingin said common point.

4. Means for enabling manipulation of small tools, including a mittenhaving an opening therein, a resilient grommet to prevent entrance ofcold air through said opening comprising a generally frusto-conical,longitudinally fluted member having a flaring base portiondefinin-g anannular flange adapted for securement to said mitten and about saidopening, said fluted member having a planar wall at its apex, saidplanar wall lying in a plane disposed at right angles to thelongitudinal axis of said fluted member, there being a series ofsymmetrically arranged slots piercing said planar wall and intersectingone another at: a common point disposed centrally of said planar walland a flap having, an identical contour in cross section to said planarwall, said flap being. integrally attached at one of its ends to saidplanar wall and normally adapted to cover said planar wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,354,241 Carmean Sept. 28, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS- 178,741 SwitzerlandJuly 31, 1935 861,480 France Feb. 10, 1941

